


parallel.

by kaibaboy



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Canon Compliant, Denial of Feelings, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, Kissing, Long Shot, M/M, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Slow Burn, Summer Vacation, denial is manjoume's middle name honestly, handjobs, i mean for the most part??? idk, is that a thing? this is really long lol, lapslock, lots of kissing lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:14:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21655072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaibaboy/pseuds/kaibaboy
Summary: judai has never really had a 'special summer memory', and he finds himself wanting nothing more than to be able to understand the feelings of joy and euphoria surrounding the warmest season. manjoume ends up getting roped into his scheme, as always, but he finds himself going on yet another journey with judai — except this time, it doesn't end with them going in circles. this time, they finally meet at the intersection, and summer becomes sweeter than it had ever been before.
Relationships: Manjoume Jun | Chazz Princeton/Yuuki Juudai | Jaden Yuki
Comments: 7
Kudos: 63





	parallel.

**Author's Note:**

> the lyrics included in this fic are from [parallel by heffron drive](https://youtu.be/tEYFJeqK4jU), also after which this fic is named. 
> 
> listen i promise not everything i write is going to be ridiculously long okay i just have a lot of Feelings about these two and this was therapeutic for me lmao
> 
> also i don't know if i ever mention it in the fic itself but this takes place the summer after their last year at duel academy! 
> 
> sorry in advance for any mistakes i may have missed, but other than that, enjoy! ♡

_ counting stars, laying in the grass _ _  
_ _ side by side, your head on my shoulder _ _  
_ _ we talk a lot, about nothing much _ _  
_ _ every breath, we’re getting closer _

♡

judai’s memories of summer are mellow enough, though they aren’t anything special.

he learned rather quickly that the feelings of liberation and euphoria that most people associated with the year’s warmest season are purely subjective, despite how ubiquitous they appeared. most of his peers who spent the entire calendar waiting for summer had larger-than-life plans to look forward to, or had families and friends with whom they could embrace all the extra time. not that judai never had those things; his parents loved him even if they were hardly ever around, and he had plenty of friends and acquaintances where he grew up, even if they were wary of him after the ‘yubel incident’. and of course, judai never cared for school, so the break was more than appreciated, and often used to build his deck and become a better duelist. 

summer was nice. summer was  _ enough. _

however, as optimistic as judai tries to be, he can’t help but feel like he’s missing something. he wishes he could feel the same excitement about the second solstice as those around him; even now, asuka had practically talked his ear off about all of her summer plans, and judai was grateful for it, as for a few minutes, her excitement had been transmitted to him through her bubbly words and mannerisms. for that short time, he knew what it was like to be excited about summer, even if it was a vicarious excitement — and it was  _ nice _ , it was something so entirely unique, something cherishable, to be able to have a taste of something he always wished he could understand.

manjoume can tell almost instantly that something is on judai’s mind, the moment the brunette throws himself down at the foot of his bed, silent for once. they had spent the entire afternoon dueling and organizing their decks, and as the sun began to hang lower and lower along the horizon, they had retreated to manjoume’s bedroom, which became a regular thing for them, the more time judai started to spend hanging around him. the raven-haired boy couldn’t quite figure out why judai wanted to be so close with him all of a sudden, but they had been through a lot together, and though his pride is still a heavy weight to carry on his thin shoulders, manjoume is mature enough to admit now that judai is one of the best friends he’s ever had. 

judai has a lot of friends, though; friends who have been with him (willingly) longer than manjoume. and because of that, it’s hard for him to really accept the fact that judai probably means more to him than he does to judai — it’s not a position he necessarily likes to be in, so he tries not to think too much about it. despite being popular in school and admired by many, manjoume is not a person with a lot of friends, and he’s often lonely when left to his own devices. he figures judai hasn’t known what that’s like in years, at least, if he ever had. 

nevertheless, judai always seems to be chasing after him, so perhaps it’s not as one-sided as he finds himself worrying. 

and truth be told, manjoume had been struggling to accept his  _ platonic _ affections for judai since their second year at the academy — so once very  _ different _ feelings started to flood into his brain regarding the vivacious brunette, his reflexive response was to bury them as deeply as possible, hoping that never giving them the light of day would smother and kill such …  _ inconvenient _ (among other things) feelings. there was a part of him that knew, though, that that would never work; that burying his emotions would only cause them to bud and eventually bloom, even if it would just leave him wilted in the end. he’d been down that road before. he knows now that it won’t kill him, at least. 

besides, he could settle for having judai as solely his friend. as a form of self-comfort, he often tells himself that they’d never work together, anyway; judai’s tendencies to be lazy and unmotivated about anything that’s not dueling would render him useless as a partner, right? little by little, he’s starting to convince himself. it’s only been two years. 

he stares out at the blackened sky, and the twinkling stars that blink back at him. he’d come over to the window to shut the curtains, but the glowing night demands his admiration, and manjoume figures they have enough privacy as is. he looks back at judai, who still hasn’t moved from his place on manjoume’s bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling in what must be thought. 

“you’re actually thinking, slacker?” manjoume jeers, leaning on the marble pane of his bedroom window, “wow, what’s the occasion?” 

judai knows by now, that’s his friend’s very counterproductive way of asking  _ ‘what’s on your mind?’.  _ he’s learned to speak  _ manjoume _ very well over the years. the brunette smiles, though it’s in an almost melancholic manner, which seems to worry the raven. 

“manjoume, do you have any special summer memories?”

the question takes him by surprise, portrayed in his widened gaze and parted lips. “is that what you’ve been thinking about this whole time?”

judai sits up, nodding. “my whole life, i’ve wondered what gets everyone so excited about summer … i mean, i kind of  _ know _ , it’s about spending time with your family and friends and stuff and enjoying the beautiful warm weather, but … well, i guess i never really got to do all that stuff. i want to have a special summer. just once would be good enough for me, i think.”

dark eyes study judai’s face, the other boy’s gaze having since returned to the high ceiling. he sighs, closing the curtains and approaching where judai lies on the bed. “come on, let’s go to the roof.”

“the roof?” judai looks at him, scandalized. “your mom almost killed us that one time she caught us up there.”

“yeah, well, she’s not here,” says manjoume, defiantly, “i told you that her and dad are out of town, so no one’s gonna yell at us. come on.” with that, manjoume is already leaving the room, and he hears judai scrambling behind him soon after. 

♡

“careful, slacker, it’d be kind of awkward to have to tell your mom why your neck is broken.” 

judai laughs at that; a sweet and carefree sound at which manjoume can’t resist smiling. he’d be damned if he ever admitted it, though. 

the brunette settles next to him on the wide and sturdy roof, humming in satisfaction at the clear view of the stars from so high up. “woah, manjoume … the stars are insane tonight. is that why you wanted to come out here?”

admitting to that feels a little  _ too _ romantic, so manjoume averts his eyes, trying to appear nonchalant. “don’t try to make it sound like this is a date, or something. i could have left you inside if i wanted to, or told you to go home.”

“but you didn’t,” judai tells him, and manjoume can  _ hear _ the grin in his  _ voice. _ “also, you didn’t answer my question. about summer.”

“yeah,” manjoume mumbles, dark eyes getting lost among the sea of constellations, once more. “i know. i don’t have any special summer memories. it may be hard for you to believe, but i don’t spend a lot of time with my parents, or my brothers, either. and friends … i don’t see them very often, outside of the academy. they come around sometimes, but not a lot. summer is just another season for me. it’s nothing special.”

there’s a silence that settles between them after manjoume answers, both of their eyes captivated by the natural light show above them. judai seems to be thinking again, and manjoume doesn’t interrupt him this time. 

“let’s make it special.”

when the raven-haired boy’s eyes slowly trail toward judai, the brunette is looking at him, something vibrant in his brown topaz eyes. it’s the look he gets when his mind is already made up.

“what?” manjoume asks, trying to disregard how his face is heating up. 

“it looks like we’re in the same boat,” judai points out, just about burning manjoume under his bright gaze, “so let’s help each other out! let’s make this summer really special.”

“i never said i needed ‘help,’” manjoume retorts, crossing his arms in his usual, stubborn manner. even as he closes his eyes, though, he can still see judai’s fiery stare in the depths of his mind, and he knows he couldn’t turn him down, even if he actually wanted to. “... what do you have in mind, slacker?”

judai’s insistent smile turns to an ecstatic grin, and he gets up on his knees, much to manjoume’s fright. they’re  _ multiple  _ stories in the air right now. “let’s take a mini-trip! we can drive down to the beach and stay at a hotel for a few days, and then drive right back. doesn’t that sound like fun?”

manjoume’s face sours, and he shakes his head. “judai, i don’t know if you’ve noticed,” he starts, pulling up his sleeve and gesturing to his ghostly pale arm, “but i’m not exactly an outdoorsman.”

pouting, judai leans over manjoume, causing the taller boy to nearly squirm, before remembering they’re on his  _ roof _ . “it’s not the same as, like,  _ camping, _ manjoume. you need just as much sunblock, yeah, but it’s fun! we can build sand castles and swim and take walks on the shore, and collect seashells. just try it, please? if you don’t like it, we can come right back the next day.” 

“you don’t need to get on top of me to make a point!” manjoume chides, though he’s since stopped trying to push judai off of him. he tells himself it’s because he doesn’t want to risk falling to his death. nevertheless, he sighs, eyes of obsidian rolling with a lack of amusement before he gives in. “alright, alright. we can go to the beach. but i’m not staying at a hotel. i’ll ask my parents if we can use their beach home.” 

“your parents have a  _ beach home? _ ” judai asks excitedly, his upper body still draped over manjoume, despite the other’s protests, “ah, i hope they say yes! that would be really awesome!” 

“i can only ask them if you don’t get both of us killed!” manjoume shouts, clocking judai on the forehead with the heel of his hand, causing the other to roll off of him and whimper. 

regardless, judai recovers quickly, sitting up on his knees again. “this is gonna be the best summer ever!” 

* * *

_ i’ll pick the thoughts out of your mind _ _  
_ _ and fit the pieces into a puzzle _ _  
_ _ everything i wanna say about you _ _  
_ _ is more than enough to write a novel _

♡

manjoume spends the next few days on what feels like emotional autopilot. 

his parents had surprisingly consented to letting them use the beach house, so long as they kept it clean and didn’t ‘bring any girls’ over there. manjoume had to keep himself from laughing at that request. he’d never actually told his parents about his bisexuality, and either way, it’s a valid concern, but the last thing he plans on doing is looking at women when judai is going to be there. and probably shirtless. as much as he hates to admit it.

after passing the news onto judai, who of course was more than thrilled, they start to plan their trip. judai wanted to leave  _ literally the next day, _ and manjoume had to talk him down from that idea, not only because they need time to prepare, but because  _ he _ needs time to process the fact that he’s going to be  _ alone _ with  _ judai _ for an extended period of time. they bunked together for some time at school, and manjoume had somehow managed to survive that without bursting into a ball of flames, but this is going to be entirely different,  _ far _ more intimate. 

or perhaps he’s overthinking it. perhaps judai just wants to have a friendly vacation to give himself some fond summer memories. and maybe they’ll have such a good time that it can become an annual thing. just two friends, making memories together. there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, right? it’s nothing to be concerned about. 

they decide on leaving in two weeks — which is still a little too soon for manjoume’s liking, but it’s the latest he could get judai to settle for. they’ll drive about an hour and forty-five minutes to enoshima beach, stay there for five days (or however long manjoume can go without demanding they come back) and drive right back home. it seems simple enough, and judai has already made fun of manjoume multiple times for overthinking everything, especially packing, but the paler boy can’t help himself. of course judai doesn’t understand, he has the responsibility level of a toasted walnut. 

in fact, judai hadn’t even thought about what to do with pharaoh until the day before they’re scheduled to take off. an exasperated manjoume furiously pulls as many strings as he can and to their luck, asuka is willing to look after the feline while they’re away, so long as they drop him off at her house on their way out of town. 

“i didn’t know you and judai were going on vacation,” she adds in, her surprise perceivable even through the phone, “let alone on a  _ road trip. _ i’ll be surprised if you guys make it to enoshima without you strangling him.” 

“honestly, me too,” manjoume groans, and asuka laughs. 

“oh, manjoume. you’re so in love with him. have fun on your trip!” 

asuka hangs up before manjoume can vehemently deny and refute her claim, leaving the dark haired boy to stare, horrified, into space. 

he is  _ not _ in love with yuki judai.

♡

after the pharaoh incident, manjoume feels obliged to make sure judai had packed adequately for their upcoming vacation. when he stops by the other duelist’s home, his parents are not there, as expected, and judai answers the door in a plain black t-shirt and his  _ actual  _ underwear. 

“we’re not even at the beach yet and i already have to see you half-naked,” manjoume groans, making his way inside while judai closes the door behind him. “it’s like 4 in the afternoon, where are your pants?”

“why would i wear  _ pants _ at home?” judai seems genuinely appalled by the implication, and manjoume honestly can’t be surprised. it seemed back when they were bunking together, judai looked for every excuse to wear as little clothing as possible. manjoume actually recognizes his ‘lucky’ red underwear, to his own disdain.

again, manjoume isn’t sure how he managed to survive it all. 

rolling his eyes, the taller boy settles his hands on his hips. “i came here to make sure you packed decently, slacker. after you nearly forgot to make arrangements for your cat, it’s clear that you can’t be trusted with anything. where is your suitcase?”

“oh, it’s upstairs,” judai replies, lips suddenly opening in a wide grin, “thanks for that, by the way! i’m glad asuka is willing to look after him. i was real worried for a minute, there, i don’t know what i’d do without you, manjoume!” 

that makes the raven blush a little, and he shakes his head as he hurries toward the staircase, trying to hide his face from judai. “whatever, don’t mention it. let’s just get this over with.”

judai had packed modestly, of course, but to manjoume’s pleasant surprise, he’d done a passable job. there are enough pairs of underwear, a few swimsuit options, and even loungewear. manjoume leans over the open suitcase, refolding most of judai’s items to pack them more neatly together, and making a little more space for things he felt necessary to add. judai sits on the edge of his bed and watches surprisingly silently, and if manjoume hadn’t known him any better, he would think the slacker was actually taking notes. 

“your fashion sense is surprisingly bland,” manjoume comments after a while, rummaging through judai’s closet in search of more formal wear, or something that at least doesn’t inspire a yawn. 

the brunette laughs, leaning back on his bed, weight anchored on the heels of his hands. “you think so? i don’t really think much about clothes. i just have a few colours i really like, and after that, i’ll pretty much wear anything that fits.” 

“i can tell,” manjoume scoffs, “your closet is almost all red, black, and white.”

“isn’t yours just all black?”

such a question elicits a pointed pause from manjoume, who turns around to face judai, eyes narrowed and cheeks slightly reddened. “that’s different. it’s an aesthetic. and my closet isn’t boring and lifeless, like yours.” returning to his search, manjoume eventually does find something suitable to wear for a nice dinner. it’s a relief, as he feared he would legitimately have to drag judai out on an impromptu shopping spree. 

“what’s that for?” judai asks, noticing the nature of the items manjoume had chosen, and now carefully folds and places into his suitcase, “seems kind of weird for a beach trip.”

“we’re not going to spend the entire trip on the beach,” the raven answers, rolling his eyes, “and we’re not going to have takeout every single night, either. there are plenty of nice restaurants on the beach that we can visit, so you’ll need something presentable to wear.”

“oh! like for a date!”

“no!” manjoume shouts, face burning red once more, “they’re not going to be dates! we can have dinner without it being a date!”

judai doesn’t say anything more on the subject, though his glittery gaze and rather complacent smile say everything for him. he expertly changes the subject, standing up once he notices manjoume is finished double and triple and quite possibly quadruple checking everything. “thanks for helping me, manjoume! you’re really a lifesaver.” 

with a puffy breath, manjoume closes judai’s suitcase and casts it aside, rising to stand up as well. “yeah, yeah. i just don’t want you screwing anything up on this trip, slacker.” 

the shorter boy’s smile spreads wider, before he turns his head to check the time. “hey, did you bring your deck? we should duel!” 

“hmph,” manjoume cracks a smile, crossing his arms over his chest, “of course i did. sure, we can duel. after you put some pants on.” 

* * *

_ parallel, in this universe _ _  
_ _ do we light up our hearts  _ _  
_ _ just to watch ‘em burn? _ _  
_ _ parallel, are we crossing lines? _ _  
_ _ 'cause maybe tonight, the stars align _

♡

by the grace of whatever cosmic force is holding the world together, judai and manjoume make it to enoshima beach unscathed. judai drove the entire way there, which admittedly isn’t much for a road trip, but to manjoume, for being in a confined space alone with judai, it felt like an eternity. it hadn’t helped that judai drives the same way he does most things in life;  _ recklessly,  _ and there were times manjoume was worried that they would actually die before they even made it out of town. there was no other option, though, as manjoume had never bothered learning to drive — so, once again in his life, he had found himself having to put an absurd amount of trust in judai. 

it’s the middle of the day when they arrive, and judai immediately starts going on and on about how much he wants to get on the beach. manjoume lets him go without a real fight, too exhausted from the rollercoaster (literally) of a ride that got them here to give the slacker any grief. he throws judai the spare key to the beach house and sends him off, after the other boy helps him haul their luggage inside. 

once judai is gone, manjoume sits down on the floor of the master bedroom, wondering exactly what he’s gotten himself into this time. why did he agree to this again? it surely can’t be a good idea.

sure, he cares for judai a lot and though he’d never admit it aloud, he’s come to genuinely enjoy spending time with the other boy. but they had never gone  _ this _ far, to be wrapped up in each other’s company and  _ only  _ each other’s company for five whole days. 

_ “... well, i guess i never really got to do all that stuff. i want to have a special summer. just once would be good enough for me, i think.” _

judai’s words from a few weeks ago echo in his mind, and manjoume sighs, banging his forehead once against his suitcase. all his friend wants is a special summer, something to look fondly on and make what’s supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year fulfilling for him. they’re not kids anymore, so summer shouldn’t even mean anything to them at this point — but manjoume understands. perhaps this is the last summer they’ll get where it can feel like they’re kids running away from their problems for the warmer days, the last of the carefree and exciting energy they’ll be able to soak up before they have to face the world as  _ adults _ . 

this means a lot to judai. he can do this for him. and maybe, in the process, it will come to mean a lot to him, too. 

with that thought, manjoume pulls himself together and begins unpacking their things.

♡

judai returns to the beach house around 3pm, trailing sand in through the kitchen as he enters using the sliding door. manjoume frowns at him, and judai looks down, eyes widening, before he sheepishly begins to brush at his shins and feet to dust off the remaining sand. he’s holding his shoes in one hand and his shirt is draped over his shoulder, and manjoume pauses to admire his golden skin, absolutely glowing in the natural light that beams in from outside. 

“manjoume!” judai starts, breaking the paler boy out of his admittedly less-than-chaste thoughts, “the beach is so wonderful! you have to come back with me!”

sitting at the kitchen counter and placing his phone down onto the marble surface, manjoume cocks a brow at the brunette, clearing his throat to ensure his voice comes out correctly. “you came back here just to get me?”

“yes! well, sort of. i also kind of want a glass of water,” judai answers, setting his shoes down and coming further into the kitchen. manjoume forces himself not to stare at the warm planes of judai’s chest and stomach, looking down at his phone again to appear busy, though the screen is black. the brunette finds a glass in the cabinet and fills it straight from the tap, before gulping it down in what has to be less than ten seconds. the dark-haired boy can’t help but admire the way the beverage travels smoothly down his throat, his adams apple bobbing rhythmically as he swallows, before exhaling a refreshed  _ ‘ah!’ _

manjoume absolutely hates that he is blushing. 

“alright, done with that. now let’s go!”

sighing, manjoume agrees, standing from his seat at the counter. “fine, let me go put more sunscreen on.”

“you put, like, an entire gallon on before we left,” judai reminds him, golden brown eyes following manjoume as he goes for the stairs.

“yeah, and now i’m going to go put on an entire gallon  _ more _ ,” retorts the raven, climbing up to the second floor, though his voice trails down as he adds, “the last thing i want is a sunburn, slacker. not all of us have effortless golden skin!”

manjoume can hear judai chuckling as he comes back into the master bedroom.  _ stupid slacker, _ he thinks, padding into the ensuite bathroom to locate his sunblock. admittedly, though, manjoume feels stupidly touched that judai came back from the beach just to get him, that the other  _ wants _ him there, apparently. obviously they came here together and it only makes sense, but manjoume can’t help but feel important and  _ wanted _ because of that. it’s foolish, but it’s true. 

he strips down to his underwear, carefully coating his face and body in the creamy lotion, before redressing, but rolling his pant legs up his calves this time. he doesn’t plan on taking his shirt off like judai, at least not today, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. with a brief glance in the mirror, manjoume notices his cheeks are still warm, and he huffs before storming out of the bathroom, and the bedroom altogether. 

♡

they stay on the beach for the remainder of the evening. it’s somewhat populated, but not overly so, and judai is a little too good at holding manjoume’s attention, to the point where he hardly notices anyone else there at all. manjoume has to admit to himself that it’s  _ really _ nice; the sun beating down on them isn’t necessarily his favourite thing, but the soft and warm sand beneath his feet and the calming sway of the sea is a nice change of scenery. he hadn’t been to the beach in a long, long time; his parents had taken him and his brothers when they were all still young, and manjoume had suffered quite a sunburn, which tainted any good aspects of the memory. his parents had gone a few more times without them, which was fine by manjoume, as he had convinced himself he never actually wanted to come back here, that he had better things to do. but being here with judai is different, not only because he has the proper amount of sunscreen to prevent a disaster like that from happening again, but he feels as though the other duelist actually wants him around, and wants to spend time with him here. and that outlook is entirely different from any time he spends with his family, who only ever seem to talk about what they want out of or for him. the different perspective makes the beach seem like a nicer place than he remembers. 

he feels a splash of water smack him at the hip, and it pulls him from his thoughts. he looks down to see a laughing judai crouching by the water, his wet hands an indicator that he had been responsible for the ambush, though manjoume hardly needed the extra proof. 

“gotcha, manjoume!” 

“you little slacker!” he shouts back, pretending to be much angrier than he actually is. judai starts to run right into the sea and manjoume chases after him, the shallow water splashing at his ankles, shins, and eventually his calves. he catches judai before they can wade any deeper, securing the other boy in a headlock, feeling judai’s soft, warm skin, and the shockingly attractive way his body convulses with laughter. though he’s pretending to be annoyed, manjoume can feel the mirth fluttering in his stomach as he crouches down with judai still locked in his hold, dunking him into the water. the barely shorter boy eventually breaks free, letting himself fall onto his ass and sit there in the water, still laughing like a joyful child, before swishing his arm into the sea to splash manjoume again. giving in, the raven sinks to his knees and joins him in the water, both of them staying there for a good while, their laughter making the evening pass like no time at all. 

the sun slowly begins to set, dyeing the beach a sweet orange. the colour reminds manjoume of judai’s coppery eyes. it suits him; he’s as passionate and vibrant as the sun, and just as warm, too. 

they eventually decide to get out of the water and head back to the beach house to shower and change into dry clothes. judai goes into the guest bathroom, leaving manjoume with the master bathroom — and despite them being rooms away, manjoume can hear judai start the water the minute they part ways. 

he takes a little more time to properly tend to his wet clothes, surprised that even his underwear managed to get a little damp after their antics. why he had allowed judai to convince him to fully go into the water without proper attire, perhaps he’ll never know, but he sheds those, too, and hangs everything up in the far end of the closet to dry. it would be sinfully dishonest for manjoume to pretend he hadn’t had the time of his life out there, though. perhaps the slacker really is starting to get to him. 

when he finds himself finally under the warm spray, he can’t seem to stop the day’s events from playing through his mind on an endless reel. it had been an absurdly long time since he’d felt that good, had that much  _ fun  _ doing anything other than dueling, and there’s something incredibly terrifying about that. asuka’s words from yesterday haunt the corners of his brain, too, and he suddenly reaches out to stop the shower, sighing discontentedly before climbing out and drying himself off. 

towel secured around his waist, manjoume enters the bedroom once more to see judai sprawled out on the bed, staring at the ceiling again. he perks up like a puppy when he hears the bathroom door opening, a gleeful smile forming along his lips as he sits up, his mostly-dry hair fluffed out adorably.  _ dear gods. _

“manjoume! you were in there for a long time!” the brunette comments, kicking his legs absentmindedly against the side of the massive bed, “i thought you’d never come out!” the brown-eyed boy wears similar attire to what he had when manjoume stormed his house and forced him to pack adequately; though this time his t-shirt is bright red and his underwear are black, like the palette had inverted. 

the raven rolls his eyes, before suddenly remembering he himself is almost naked, modesty protected only by his towel clinging lowly to his narrow hips. “what are you doing in here? i can’t get dressed with you just sitting there staring at me!” 

“why not?” judai asks, looking perplexed, “it’s not like we haven’t seen each other naked before. do you want me to get naked, too, to help you feel better?”

“no!” manjoume cries, horror contorting his face at the idea. it only makes judai laugh. “go back to your room, slacker, i’m not going to get dressed with you watching me!”

“my room?” the brunette cocks a brow, prior to tilting his head curiously, “why can’t we share this room?”

perhaps it’s a bit melodramatic, but manjoume genuinely feels like he is going to die. it’s the slifer dorms all over again, with judai seeming not to understand the ideas of privacy and personal space at all, almost as though the gods are torturing manjoume for having weird feelings for the absolute worst possible person. he claps a hand over his own forehead, letting it slide down theatrically before taking a deep breath to address judai. “why would we share a room? there are like a million rooms in here, that doesn’t make any —”

“because i want to share a room with you.”

a sudden halt in manjoume’s tirade is brought on by judai’s words, and the taller boy is left to stand there, mouth agape, in utter shock. it really shouldn’t be that surprising to him, but the fact that judai can just  _ say something like that  _ and not even realize the implications renders him speechless. manjoume lets his mouth snap shut, remembering who he’s dealing with. there’s no purpose of reading too much into it. even then, he can’t stop himself from asking, “why?” 

the rare image of judai thinking deeply resurfaces once more, almost as though the other is carefully choosing his words. it’s shocking to manjoume; thinking before he speaks is something judai almost never does. 

“i’unno,” comes the somewhat anticlimactic answer, “i just like spending time with you. that’s the whole reason i wanted to come here with you. we should spend as much time together as possible!”

curse his porcelain-esque complexion, as manjoume knows he’s blushing again. “judai …” he starts, before shaking his head and deciding to go with his usual approach. “alright, alright. we can share this room. but your stuff stays in the other room, i don’t want it to get crowded in here.”

“awesome!” cheers judai, falling backward on the bed in his excitement. despite himself, manjoume smiles. at least the slacker can’t see him this time. “thanks for unpacking all my stuff, by the way. it’s so organized!” 

“i bet you aren’t used to that,” scoffs manjoume, gathering some simple lounge clothes before heading back into the bathroom to change into them, “i’m still not getting naked in front of you, though!” 

♡

notwithstanding manjoume’s aversion to takeout, neither of them feel like getting dressed and going out for dinner, and they lack groceries in the beach house. not that either of them are particularly skilled when it comes to cooking, anyway — judai knows enough basics to put something appetizing together, apparently, but manjoume is totally hopeless in that department. after a brief search concerning their options in the area, they agreed to split a pizza, though it was more along the lines of both of them having a reasonable amount and judai consuming the rest with manjoume’s assurance that he was finished. at least he had the decency to ask first. 

nightfall blankets the beach comfortably. judai sits on the floor with his cards spread out before him, while manjoume lies on the bed, scrolling endlessly through his social media feed. the silence is pleasant, but it doesn’t last much longer, as judai leans back until his head rests against the side of the bed, dangerously close to manjoume’s thigh. 

“hey, manjoume?”

“what?” he asks, not taking his eyes away from the phone, even if he suddenly feels a cage of butterflies let loose in his stomach. 

“did you have fun today?”

he does stop, now. manjoume’s gaze shifts from the boundless grid of photos plastered across his feed to judai’s wide, curious eyes, and his heart starts melting. the way judai’s head leans backward over the bed’s edge is unfairly cute, and paired with the rather innocent and thoughtful (two things he usually would never associate with judai) question, manjoume honestly can’t take it. he sets his phone down, slumping against the pillow he’s been leaning on this whole time, before answering. “yeah, judai. i had fun.”

the way the brunette immediately starts grinning quickens the melting process by about a thousand percent, and manjoume huffs, rolling onto his side so that his back faces judai, and quickly returning to his previously discarded phone out of embarrassment. 

“i’m really glad,” says judai, turning so his chin rests on the edge of the bed, now, “i had a lot of fun, too. i’m really happy you agreed to come here with me. hopefully tomorrow will be even better!”

“yeah, maybe,” manjoume mumbles, pointedly ignoring how hard he’s blushing in this moment. “i want to go to sleep now, slacker, so if you want to keep sorting through your deck, you’ll have to do it in another room.”

a pensive hum follows, and judai glances toward the clock. normally he wouldn’t go to bed before 11pm, but the drive and the day’s activities, added to his excitement to get to tomorrow, makes the idea more appealing than it would otherwise have been. “nah, i’ll join you! let me just put all this stuff away, i’ll be right back!” 

with that, judai quickly gathers his cards and pads out of the room, leaving the door slightly cracked behind him as a subconscious implication that he is indeed coming back. manjoume groans, springing off the bed to hurry into his pajamas. he selects a lavender set and shimmies out of his other clothes, folding them neatly and setting them on a chair for the next day. 

by the time judai returns, manjoume is already under the covers and on his back, the dim, bluish light from his phone screen casting over his face. judai is still in his t-shirt-underwear ensemble, and he climbs onto the other side of the bed, shimmying under the comforter and sheets. despite there being a good 30 centimeters between them, manjoume can still feel judai’s body heat, and he tries to focus on his phone instead of that, otherwise he might actually die tonight. the bed is large enough for both of them to be comfortable with enough space between them, but it doesn’t stop manjoume from being on-edge, for whatever elusive reason. 

judai, of course, doesn’t seem bothered in the slightest. his back is facing manjoume, body snuggled up into the bedding, and sleep had always seemed to come easily to him, he’ll probably be out within the next few minutes. lucky bastard. 

manjoume goes back to his phone, figuring he’ll keep wasting his time with it until he’s ready to fall asleep. he’s not paying attention to how much time has gone by, when suddenly, he feels judai’s body press up against him. it startles him, as he hadn’t even noticed the other boy inching closer, and he turns to look at him, seeing that judai’s eyes are closed, his breathing even. 

despite this, a few moments later, he hears the other murmur his name, and looking down once more, sees his eyes are open and looking up at him. 

“what?” manjoume wheezes, nose scrunching in feigned distaste. judai looks far too adorable right now, and is dangerously close to stepping over a line that manjoume has worked so hard the last two and a half years to maintain. he’s come close a few times, of course, but  _ this  _ is his biggest threat yet. 

“back when we were rooming together at the academy,” judai starts, voice soft and sleepy; a stark contrast to his usual upbeat loudness, “i wanted to ask you so many times if we could cuddle. i used to cuddle with shou a lot, but he’s really tiny and moves too much when he sleeps.” 

manjoume is silent, though his face is burning at judai’s words. it feels as though everything he doesn’t want (but secretly wants) to happen tonight is happening one by one, and he isn’t sure what to make of it. judai was never a person to hold back with what he feels or wants, so why on earth is this only coming to light now, when they’re pressed against each other, sharing a bed?

“i never did, though,” judai continues, a yawn severing his sentences, “i always figured you’d say no, or bonk me on the forehead, or something.”

“that never stopped you from asking me other stupid questions,” says manjoume, though his cheeks heat up even more when judai throws an arm over his front, and the other boy laughs softly, creating an attractive, breathy sound that’s worlds away from his usual obnoxious cackling.

“yeah,” the brunette concedes, “maybe i just couldn’t handle you possibly rejecting my cuddling requests. but i was brave enough to ask you to come out here with me, so … maybe i can finally get the cuddles i’ve been wanting for a few years? if that’s alright, and all.” 

the taller boy lays there, silently, staring off into nothingness as judai’s admission drudges up a lot of strange feelings. he could honestly never imagine judai holding back with anyone, let alone him — but there’s something inherently charming about it, either way. he looks at judai, then, and for once, he doesn’t put on an angry face or pretend to be hugely inconvenienced by judai’s requests. he just looks at him; eyebrows slightly raised, dark eyes curious and subconsciously scanning for the punchline, if this is a joke. but he knows it isn’t. judai just isn’t smart enough to put this much effort into a prank. 

“okay,” manjoume exhales, finally providing an answer, though judai’s arm had already been around him this entire time. the boundaries are shrinking, and he should be terrified, but judai is right; they came all the way out here to spend time together, so something like this is completely normal and acceptable. he ignores the bitter taste in his mouth that comes when he remembers judai saying he’d done this with shou, and he lets his body relax as he can feel judai press against him even more, turning onto his side to accommodate the arms that wrap fully around him. 

judai doesn’t cheer ecstatically or victoriously like he normally does when he gets something he wants, especially out of manjoume. he only smiles against the raven’s shoulder, nuzzling his nose into the fabric of his pajamas, his warm breath caressing manjoume’s skin underneath. 

the next few days are surely going to be interesting. 

* * *

_ what if the one who was meant for you, _ _  
_ _ was, all along, right in front of you? _ _  
_ _ you just didn't see, it was there all the time _ _  
_ _ got a feeling tonight, yeah, the stars align _

♡

before manjoume had taken the time to think about it, four days had already passed. 

and every minute was wonderful. he and judai had woken up early on the second day to get to the beach before it got too crowded, and while the water was still cool from the night before. they swam and relaxed on the beach for a few hours, and judai even ‘met’ a white and red sea star, who he of course named ‘neos’, and almost cried when manjoume made him release the animal back into the sea when it was time for them to return to the beach house. 

they slept in on the third day, not even leaving the bed until well past 2 in the afternoon, and judai had managed to convince manjoume to build a sandcastle with him. he traded some kid a pearly seashell for her bright red rubber pail, and he and manjoume built what judai deemed a ‘magnificent fortress, fit for a king’. even manjoume had to admit, especially for his first try, it was a very nice sandcastle. his social media followers agreed. 

the fourth day had been his favourite. judai woke him up at 5 in the morning because he wanted to go to the beach to watch the sunrise, and though manjoume had originally been peeved about having to sacrifice his beauty sleep, the sight was truly breathtaking. the beach was almost empty, which made it feel that much more intimate, and judai even reached out to hold his hand as they walked along the shore, admiring the gorgeous display of warm and cool colours, reflected against the sparkling water. it looked like something out of a revered masterpiece of an oil painting, and manjoume was legitimately surprised that judai had the insight to know how priceless this moment would be. manjoume couldn’t deny it, then; he wanted to kiss him. but he didn’t, only squeezed his hand a little, and judai squeezed back. 

here they are, now, at the start of the fifth day. things had slowly been changing between them, since that night that judai had asked to cuddle. they had cuddled every night and every morning since then, but before that fourth day, the physical affection had stopped there for the most part, never leaving the bed. sometimes manjoume would wake up and feel judai’s ‘morning wood’ poking him, and he almost wanted to just die on the spot every single time, but he never said anything about it, out of fear that it would make things awkward, or make him look foolish — or even worse,  _ needy. _

all in all, manjoume hadn’t known what to expect coming into this vacation, but judai has definitely surprised or shocked him several times in the last few days. it’s almost as though he had a distinct intention in asking manjoume, specifically, to share this experience — but they’re going home tomorrow, so perhaps everything isn’t what it seems. judai is both the easiest and hardest person to read, and while manjoume had never been particularly perceptive with others’ emotions (he can barely dissect his own, for gods’ sake), the way judai is so straightforward and down-to-earth and yet elusive and confusing at the same time makes him both intriguing and annoying. 

still, the dark-haired duelist catches himself thinking about asuka’s words, over and over again. maybe she had just been teasing, or maybe she knows something he doesn’t; it’s impossible to tell with her, sometimes. and as much as he’d love to deny it, he knew, deep down, the moment she said it that there was at least some truth behind her claim. maybe it’s not quite love, but it’s something. 

after having his shower, manjoume comes down into the kitchen, but judai is not there. his shoes are gone, but there’s clear evidence that he had been here not too long ago in the half-eaten bagel sitting on the counter, and the still-warm toaster oven he’d assumedly used to prepare it. it’s not unlike judai to just up and run off without saying anything, though, so manjoume doesn’t think much about it, and instead opens the almost-empty fridge for the apple juice he had bought in town the day before. 

an hour passes, and judai is still gone. manjoume thinks about texting or even calling him, but judai almost never answers his phone because he’s constantly living as though it’s 1997. 

finally, about thirty minutes later, the slacker makes his way back to the house, visibility surprised to see manjoume sitting there at the kitchen counter. 

“aww, manjoume,” he starts, making his way nearer to where the other duelist sits, “were you waiting for me?”

cheeks taking on an embarrassed shade of pink, manjoume immediately denies him. “why on earth would i be waiting for a slacker like you? i just wanted to sit by the glass doors for the view, don’t flatter yourself.”

judai glances back to survey the view manjoume is supposedly here for. that’s when the taller boy notices the little gift bag hanging around judai’s wrist, and he wonders what its contents could be — perhaps judai had found a gift in town for one of his friends back home. hopefully asuka, who’d been generous enough to look after his cat on such a short notice. 

“yeah, i guess it is pretty nice!” judai agrees, turning back to manjoume with a blinding smile. “sorry i sort of disappeared for a minute there. i didn’t expect to be gone that long, but i found what i was looking for.”

manjoume waves a hand dismissively, dragging a finger absentmindedly along the smooth surface of his phone screen. “it’s still early in the day, we’ll have plenty of time to —” his words get lost as he looks up, and notices the way judai is looking at him; amber eyes intense and yet soft, creating a strange tension between them. “... what?” he asks, though his voice comes out a lot softer than he meant it to. 

judai’s head tilts slightly to a side, and he starts to smile in a warm, almost  _ loving  _ way. “nothing. you’re just really … pretty.” 

if his cheeks had been warm before, his entire face is on fire now. manjoume’s eyes double in size and his eyebrows shoot upwards, lips parting in clear shock at the sudden compliment. “huh? judai, i’m not a girl, or something —!”

the brunette’s nose scrunches, and he shakes his head. “boys can be pretty, too. and that’s what you are. to me, at least!” 

there’s still a level of shock, and even a bit of apprehension, in response to the other’s words, but ultimately, manjoume just decides to accept the compliment. “well … thanks …”

the gift bag is set down on the counter, and pushed across the smooth marble surface until it bumps against manjoume’s hand. he looks up at judai questioningly, and the boy nods. “it’s for you.” 

flustered and confused, manjoume slowly sits up straighter, and delicately peels back the tissue paper that had been stuffed into the bag to conceal its contents. he finds a plain, black velvet box; a long and rectangular shape, and soft to the touch. he wills his hands not to shake as he opens it, and he doesn’t believe what he sees inside. 

resting against the cool blue velvet on the interior is a necklace, consisting of a single black pearl on a silver chain. it reflects brilliantly against the natural light, and the dark colour appeals to every aspect of manjoume’s personal taste, giving him an unreal sense of satisfaction just by looking at it, watching it reflect in the light, seeing all the holographic hues of its undertones showing through with each new angle. 

“judai …” he says finally, looking up at the other in disbelief, “how did you get this? it looks authentic.” 

“there was a funky little antique store in town that was selling it,” he answers, leaning on the counter nonchalantly, “the lady there said it once belonged to a sailor’s wife, whose husband had found it out at sea. he brought it back for her so she’d always have something to remember him by, in case anything ever happened to him. the story sounds really cheesy, i know, but she showed me a lot of pictures, so i guess it’s true!” 

manjoume’s eyes only widen impossibly more at the necklace’s alleged history, and he knows it’s rude to ask how much gifts cost, but he can’t help but wonder how judai managed to afford an authentic black pearl necklace, let alone  _ why  _ he dished it out just for  _ him.  _ “it’s … gorgeous. but … why are you giving this to me?” 

the brunette is quiet for a minute, until he sighs, coming closer so that he’s standing right in front of manjoume, who looks at him with a variety of emotions reflecting in his eyes, resembling the black pearl. that alone was part of the reason. 

“manjoume … what i said about wanting a special summer memory and everything was more than true … but it’s not the only reason i brought you here. i didn’t mean to wait until the last day, but i just kept beating around the bush, and …” judai pauses, takes a deep breath, and seems to regain something of his standard confidence. “i’m just gonna say it. manjoume jun, i’ve had a crush on you since we were fifteen and it would make me the happiest guy in the world if you would be my boyfriend.” 

manjoume swears the world stops turning in that moment. his heart stops beating, he stops breathing, and nothing in the whole universe moves at all for about ten seconds. then, suddenly, a myriad of strong and vibrant feelings burst through him like fireworks — joy, confusion, embarrassment, relief, wonder, fear — they spark in different colours and shock his brain in an extravaganza of emotion. all this time he’s been trying not to cross the line, trying not to make himself look like a fool, trying not to get his heart broken again — and all this time, judai has felt the same way. carefree, curious, and taking it all in stride, just like always, while manjoume had genuinely been on the edge of a nervous breakdown for almost three years. 

and yet, everything had led them here, to each other. they had been looking each other in the face all this time, either ignorant of or blatantly disregarding their feelings, but it only made them grow stronger, only kept leading them in circles, ending where they started every time. 

of course it has to be like this. manjoume has honestly never known simplicity, and perhaps he doesn’t even want to know it anymore. 

“i don’t know if i want to kiss you or punch you,” manjoume wheezes, setting the box down on the counter as an incredulous laugh leaves him. “this whole time, i’ve been trying to ignore the way i feel about you because i thought i was just another friend to you. but you’re … you’re honestly the best friend i’ve ever had in my entire life and i didn’t want to risk losing that because of my feelings, but everything makes so much sense now. after how things happened — or,  _ didn’t happen  _ — between asuka and i, i wasn’t sure if i could handle being rejected by someone i care so deeply for again. but i was just being stupid. i’m glad she never liked me back … because i got to fall for you. and as crazy as it’s been, as surprised as i am that i haven’t started going gray from all the stress, i wouldn’t change anything about it, judai. do you really think i’d reject you after letting you drive me almost two hours out of town, risking my perfect skin to make you happy, and dealing with your hard-on poking me in the butt every morning for the last four days?” 

it’s judai’s turn to stare at manjoume, wide-eyed, taking in the weight of all he had said. it’s evident that judai isn’t used to manjoume speaking to him so candidly and openly about his feelings, and it’s a lot to sort through, but his wide eyes somehow look more relieved than anything else. after a few beats, his lips spread into a huge grin and he starts to laugh that beautiful, obnoxious laugh that manjoume knows better than the sound of his own. 

“well, when you put it like  _ that  _ …”

“come here, slacker,” orders manjoume, standing from his seat. 

judai obeys, coming closer immediately, and manjoume wraps his arms around him, looking deep into his eyes and feeling how both of their hearts are pounding. this is happening. 

slowly, the taller boy starts leaning in, closing the space between them with a tender kiss. it’s everything both of them have been wanting for the past two and a half years, surpassing even the most fairytale-esque fantasy, because it’s  _ real _ . 

judai’s lips are so surprisingly soft, manjoume can’t help but sigh adoringly against them. they’re embracing each other, now, limbs tangling as much as possible without causing them to lose balance and topple over, and lips moving smoothly and sweetly, pulling the softest sounds of pure contentment from both of them. judai tastes of cream cheese and even faintly of strawberries, but there’s something so distinctly  _ him  _ that graces manjoume’s lips, that makes him feel weak, like he’s dizzy with affection. 

the dark-haired duelist is the first to pull away, finding judai’s fiery gaze as the brunette opens his eyes. their chests are pressed together, arms still closed almost desperately around one another, like they’d fade to nothingness if they let go. 

“wow,” whispers judai, unable to keep that signature grin from blooming along his lips, “i can’t believe i  _ finally  _ got to kiss you!” 

manjoume chuckles, pressing his forehead to judai’s, silent as he just looks into his eyes for a while; allowing himself for once to just  _ be  _ in the moment, with the most important person in his life. “well, believe it. you’re about to do it again.” 

♡

the remainder of the day had been unreal. they enjoyed the beach for what would most likely be the last time before they went home, and held hands as they walked barefoot through the shallow water that rocked against the shore. judai found a variety of intricate seashells, one of which was a pearlescent black colour, with a sizable chip along its ridged top. judai exclaimed that it looked like manjoume’s hair, and insisted the other hold onto it. 

they went to a lovely dinner after that, and manjoume noticed judai’s eyes continuously trailing down to where the necklace sat on his collarbone. he couldn’t help but smile, rolling the pearl between his fingers, admiring the way it shimmers all over again. judai told him then that it reminded him of manjoume’s eyes. 

they walked back to the beach house after dinner, where manjoume had packed up most of their things so they could simply get up and go in the morning. he couldn’t focus much, though, as judai kept trying to kiss him (and succeeded most times, as manjoume never  _ really  _ tried to push him away; his protests were all talk and judai has caught onto that easily). 

everything that had happened today plays back slow and romantic in manjoume’s head, like a film noir — without the crime portion, at least. he leads judai out to the deck where they can watch the stars before heading inside for bed, their fingers intertwining and bodies cuddling close as they gaze upward in awe. 

“don’t you want to lay on the soft sand?” judai asks, though the blanket and pillows they brought out to the deck are comfortable enough. 

“and get sand in my hair and clothes?” manjoume groans, shaking his head and scrunching his nose. “no thank you. even if we put the blanket out there, sand would get everywhere somehow. it always does.” 

he gets a mellow hum in response, judai resting his head on manjoume’s shoulder, arms coming around him almost possessively. “you’re so cute.” 

manjoume sputters incoherently for a second, face going pink at the claim prior to him actually finding his words. “i am  _ not,  _ slacker.” 

“you are,” judai persists, “when you scrunch your nose and get all grumpy and pouty like that, it’s the cutest thing ever.” 

huffing, the dark-haired boy only rolls his eyes, though his warm cheeks say everything for him. “you’re the cute one,” he argues, genuinely raising the claim as though he’s in a debate, “with your big, sparkly eyes and hyperactive puppy attitude.” 

the brunette laughs loudly at that, reaching up to squish manjoume’s cheeks in his hands, leaning closer until their noses touch. “you’re really arguing about why  _ i’m  _ cute! that makes you even cuter!” 

manjoume growls, though it’s about as intimidating as a newborn puppy. judai pecks his lips, hands relaxing from squishing to simply cupping his cheeks, and the moment the tanner boy pulls away, manjoume chases him, initiating a deeper, more substantial kiss. 

♡

when they’re finally snuggled under the covers, everything  _ really  _ starts to hit manjoume. he and judai are dating now, they’re a  _ couple,  _ and while not a lot has to change, exactly, he’s never actually been in a real, established relationship with another person. there were girls he ‘dated’ in middle school, but that was more them just claiming one another’s company than actually being interested in each other as people. this is something far more mature and serious, and while there isn’t a doubt in his mind that he wants this, he’s terrified — about not being enough, about not knowing how to act or what to do. and he’s not sure of judai’s dating history, but it doesn’t seem as though he has much experience, either. 

the brunette has his arms around manjoume’s waist, his face pressed into the pale boy’s chest. though their height difference is next to nothing, judai apparently has an affinity for clinging to him like a child, and though he found it strange at first, manjoume doesn’t mind it, now. maybe this is why he didn’t like cuddling sho. 

he must have fallen asleep without realizing, because he’s suddenly jolting awake at the feeling of hands sneaking down the waist of his pajama pants. dark eyes flash toward judai, who looks like he’s still asleep. perhaps he’s just shoved his hands down there subconsciously, seeking warmth for his appendages, but manjoume can’t help the weird feeling that settles in his chest, a warm, sizzling sensation. 

_ desire. that’s what that is, isn’t it? _

there’s nothing wrong with desiring his boyfriend, but it’s just the  _ first night  _ of their newly established relationship. isn’t there a rule or something that makes that inappropriate? 

if there is, judai clearly doesn’t care about it.  _ shocker.  _

“judai,” manjoume whispers, shuddering a little when the other’s hands settle over his ass, “what are you  _ doing?” _

the hands squeeze his cheeks, and manjoume can’t help but whimper, a twitch starting between his thighs. judai hums and continues to fondle him, shifting his hips upward to grind against manjoume in the most horrifyingly delicious way, which causes the raven to bite back a low moan. 

“manjoume,” judai starts, leaning up to whisper in his ear, “ _ jun.  _ i’ve been wanting this for so long, please.” 

the rare use of his given name makes manjoume shiver once more, the way judai had practically  _ moaned  _ it making him feel things he’d suppressed for years. the boy sighs, brushing his hands through judai’s hair, letting his eyes close as he just gives in to the temptation. “i’ve … wanted this, too.” 

it’s all the confirmation judai needs. within moments, his lips latch onto the base of manjoume’s neck, his kisses starting soft and sweet, but becoming increasingly wet and hungry as he works his way up. manjoume tilts his head back, breath stuttering and fingers tightening slightly in judai’s hair, encouraging him to keep going. he nips at the back of manjoume’s ear, causing a tiny moan to slip past manjoume’s filter, and the dark-haired duelist can feel the way judai’s lips spread into a smug simper against his sensitive skin. 

judai eases manjoume onto his back, climbing overtop of him and straddling his lover with knees planted on either side of his thin hips. his mouth finds manjoume’s in a starving kiss, the paler boy whimpering as judai’s tongue pushes between his lips, engaging manjoume’s own in an ardent contest for dominance. the raven-haired of the two doesn’t give up easily, which makes it all the more enjoyable; the kiss becoming mostly tongue and teeth at this point, with ravenous moans exchanged between them like conversation. 

eventually, judai wins — because judai  _ always  _ wins — but this is the one duel manjoume doesn’t mind losing. he groans as judai licks into his mouth victoriously, crumbling under the brunette’s passionate lead as he kisses him practically senseless; literally, until all of his senses are overwhelmed with  _ judai.  _ both of their lips are bruised with lust, but it doesn’t stop judai from trailing kisses down the other side of manjoume’s neck, leaving blooming love bites to mark his trail, a spectrum of colours from pink to violet dyeing the pale canvas like blotches of paint. 

“it’s so easy to mark you,” judai remarks, voice uncharacteristically husky and breath-laden. 

manjoume never actually thought he would see this side of judai — and though he’d fallen for the hyperactive idiot he’s come to know, he can’t deny that this seductive twist is making him  _ weak  _ with desire. he whines, head turning to the side almost bashfully at the comment. “shut up,” he mumbles between heavy breaths, “those better be gone by the morning.”

judai smirks, nuzzling at manjoume’s collarbone. he starts to pull the buttons of the other’s pajama shirt loose, exposing more and more of his flawless, milky skin, admiring the immaculate lines of his body, the way his chest expands and contracts with such depth, serving as much-appreciated proof to judai that he can have this kind of effect on manjoume. 

with a quiet hum, manjoume relaxes as judai pushes the shirt off his shoulders and delicately pulls his arms out of it, letting it be discarded at the side of the bed. he’s only allowed a single breath before judai is pulling off his pants, eager to see more and more of the body that’s almost always hidden away beneath long sleeves and pants and flowy jackets. obviously he had seen more of manjoume than ever during their time on the beach, but this context is entirely different — now, the other boy is writhing and flushed beneath him, waiting to be taken. it makes him look impossibly more ethereal to judai, whose eyes trace every line and curve of the nearly-naked body just underneath his fingertips. 

at last, the brunette works up the nerve to remove the final barrier. his indexes hook along where manjoume’s waistband hugs his hips, and judai gradually pulls the black fabric down his lover’s legs, exposing him in earnest. manjoume is all pale porcelain and sweet gradients of white to pink, and judai pauses for a moment, utterly mesmerized by his beauty. 

“are you just gonna sit there and stare at me?” manjoume pants, trying not to think about how he’s naked as the day he was born in front of  _ yuki judai,  _ right now, “or are you gonna … do something?”

sienna eyes trail up manjoume’s body to look at his blushing face, and judai smiles again, tracing an ephemeral touch along the curve of his boyfriend’s side. “i  _ could  _ sit here and stare at you, all night long,” he admits, before sitting up and pulling his shirt off, thoughtlessly tossing it over the other side of the bed, “but i think i’ll probably go crazy if i don’t get to touch you, soon.” 

briefly, manjoume finds himself wondering where exactly judai learned to talk like this. he decides he’s better off not thinking about it, though, which is convenient since he feels the other boy’s hand wrap around his throbbing cock, and he loses the privilege of a functioning brain. he moans something embarrassingly high-pitched, the tight warmth of judai’s hand around one of his most sensitive parts making his stomach quiver. “w-wait, judai —” silenced by his own moan, he can’t even remember what he was going to say once judai starts to stroke him. 

he’s going slow, taking the time to let his soft palm rub smoothly against manjoume’s flesh, feeling his cock fully hardening in his grasp.  judai’s tongue presses against his upper lip as he alternates between watching his own actions and watching manjoume fall apart, trying to restrict the stream of pleasured sounds judai draws out of him. 

manjoume’s breath catches in his throat when he feels judai stop, suddenly, and forces his eyes open to see the brunette bent over the side of the bed, scrambling for something. 

“what are you doing?” manjoume asks, sitting up on his elbows and still trying to catch his breath. 

judai doesn’t answer at first, a rushed whisper of  _ ‘where is it?’  _ leaving him, followed by aggressive rustling sounds and a triumphant  _ ‘a-ha!’  _ he comes back to the center of the bed, showing the raven-haired boy a palm-sized bottle of what he recognizes as lubricant. 

“you had that this whole time?” asks the raven, a furious blush staining his cheeks. 

“well — sorta,” judai admits, taking the opportunity to shimmy out of his own underwear, “i brought it mostly for myself, but i kept it in my back pocket just in case … y’know, something happened?” 

manjoume only looks at him blankly for a few seconds before huffing, crossing his arms over his chest with what judai finds to be the cutest glower. “you dirty little slacker … at least you came prepared.” 

the brunette giggles at manjoume’s behaviour, leaning back over him and looking at him with twinkling eyes. “seems to me like you’re pretty excited, too,” he teases, hand sneaking down to rub against manjoume’s hard cock. 

besides a soft gasp, the other doesn’t respond to the accusation, averting his gaze and biting gently into his lower lip to keep from making any more flustering sounds. his eyes shut and he lets his head fall back against the pillows, voice barely a whisper as he whines, “just  _ do it  _ already.”

“are you sure?” judai asks tenderly, thumb brushing against manjoume’s warm cheek, “you seem really nervous … we don’t have to do this tonight, jun.” 

pale lids lift to reveal sparkling obsidian, and manjoume’s gaze is soft, a smile starting to form as he stares up at judai. “i want this. part of me is just nervous, because i’ve never …  _ received  _ before.”

_ “oh,”  _ judai blinks, lips parting slightly in surprise, “really? well — you can be on top if you want. either way is fine with me.” 

“no,” manjoume murmurs, reaching up to brush his fingers through judai’s hair, “this is fine. i want to do it like this.”

the bright-eyed duelist smiles down at him, leaning in to press a soft kiss to manjoume’s lips. “okay. if you’re sure. i’ll be gentle.” 

the next few moments pass in relative silence as judai starts to coat his fingers in the lubricant, trying to focus despite his disbelief that finally, after all this time, this is  _ happening.  _ manjoume looks so beautiful beneath him, so sweet and willing, and he can’t remember the last time he saw the object of his affections so soft and pliant like this. taking a deep breath, judai starts to prod gently at manjoume’s entrance, eliciting a grunt from the other boy. 

“it’s cold,” he whimpers, cracking an eye open, and judai smiles apologetically. 

“i tried to warm it up some, but my pants were right next to a vent on the floor,” biting his lip, the brunette hums. “it’ll warm up a lot quicker once it’s inside of you.” 

both of them blush at the bluntness of those words, and before manjoume can come up with something snarky to say, he’s gasping as judai pushes his finger inside. it’s slow and surprisingly smooth, though there’s a bit of resistance from the initial tenseness of manjoume’s body, in reaction to being surprised. he tries to relax, but he can’t get over the strange feeling of having another person’s —  _ judai’s  _ — finger inside of him. he’d put a few of his own up there before, but if there’s one thing he’d learned about sex since starting to experiment, it’s that doing it on one’s own and doing it with others are experiences that are  _ galaxies  _ apart. 

once he gets over the bit of shock, though, and the lube starts to warm up as judai had promised it would, manjoume starts to notice that it feels … really good. not that he had any doubts, but the way discomfort melts into pleasure is divine; the way judai’s finger starts to push in and out of him making his stomach tighten and his cock twitch. 

judai must have taken notice of this, because he shifts his position until his face is significantly closer to manjoume’s crotch. before he can ask the perhaps foolishly obvious question of what judai is doing, the brunette licks a slow stripe up his shaft, causing manjoume to release some sound that resembles both a moan and a gasp. judai’s tongue moves fluidly along his cock, teasing up and down until he closes his mouth around the tip on one particular upstroke, gradually swallowing the length down as he simultaneously adds another finger to manjoume’s clenching heat. 

crying out a little louder, manjoume’s head falls back and his back arches, all while he subconsciously spreads his thighs wider to accommodate judai’s maneuvers. between judai’s mouth and his fingers, he isn’t sure which to focus on, only that both are offering an unbelievable amount of pleasure, and doing equal parts in bringing the dark-haired boy closer and closer to the edge. 

his lover really seems to be enjoying it just as much, as soft moans around his cock elicit shivers from manjoume, especially when paired with the way the brunette swirls his tongue or flicks it along the leaking slit. when he sucks him down again, he lets the tip brush the back of his tight throat before pulling back and off, licking his way down and around again. 

finally, a third finger slips inside the fluttering hole, coaxing it to stretch even wider. manjoume trembles, panting and sweating, the feelings of pleasure becoming wildly intense. “judai,” he sighs out, barely able to open his eyes to glance down at his lover, “please, just … just do it, i’m too close already —”

“mmm,” judai hums, tongue pressing against manjoume’s shaft as he pulls off to respond, “do  _ what  _ jun? say it, babe.” 

“d-don’t — !” manjoume huffs, keening as judai’s fingers barely brush his prostate. “don’t make me  _ say it,  _ you already know  _ what.” _

“i’m already  _ doing  _ quite a lot to you,” the brunette hums, pretending to be deep in thought, “what more could you want? i could just keep doing this until you cum ...” 

despite himself, manjoume actually whines. his eyes squeeze shut and his thighs tighten around judai’s head, showing his frustration with the other boy. “judai, just  _ fuck me  _ already!”

though he’s nearly being choked by manjoume’s thighs, judai still manages to laugh, using his unoccupied hand to pry himself free of his boyfriend’s death grip, to the best of his ability. “ahh, babe! you’re the cutest!” 

the dark-haired duelist huffs, though his glare only lasts half a second before judai’s fingers graze his prostate again. there’s a strange feeling of emptiness when the fingers are removed moments later, but manjoume holds his breath, knowing it’s not going to last long. 

judai climbs over him, studying his boyfriend’s gorgeous face, eyes briefly trailing down to where the black pearl sits against his collarbone. a warmth spreads through him, and he takes manjoume’s wrists in both his hands, before sliding his palms up until their fingers can intertwine. 

“you’re the most beautiful person i’ve ever seen,” he whispers, eyes unmoving from where they bare into the raven’s soul. “i’ve fantasized about this a lot … and yet my stupid brain could never come up with something this perfect.” 

manjoume smiles, cheeks a glowing shade of rose. “your stupid brain can’t come up with a lot of things, but i’ll take the compliment, slacker.” 

a sweet string a laughter follows the wisecrack, and this time, manjoume joins in. 

exhaling fondly, judai brings one of his hands down to line himself up with manjoume’s entrance, watching carefully as the tip catches on the rim, before pushing his hips forward. he slides inside snugly and smoothly, and manjoume whimpers shakily, one hand squeezing around judai’s while the other scratches at his back. judai himself moans at the feeling of manjoume’s heat sucking him in, clenching around him like it never plans to let him go. 

“jun,  _ babe,”  _ judai sighs hotly, the hand not locked around his lover’s coming up to grasp at his waist, “you’re so  _ tight,  _ oh man.”

he receives a gasp in response as his cock presses in all the way, filling manjoume up completely. the pair remain still for a few beats, adjusting to the intense sensations rushing through both of them, looking deeply into each other’s eyes and sharing each other’s breaths. 

eventually, manjoume gives his lover a nod, and judai leans in to kiss him, starting to shallowly rock his hips in a steady motion. the dark-haired teen whimpers against his lips, but tries to kiss back, even if he finds himself frequently interrupted by his own sounds. judai seems to be better at multitasking in this moment, though, as his tongue caresses his lover’s while his hips gradually build momentum, swallowing all of manjoume’s sweet moans like candy.

time is lost to them as judai goes faster, the force of his thrusts causing manjoume’s body to rock back and forth with his pattern, and soon the bed follows suit, creaking softly beneath them. it feels so lewd, and manjoume would be embarrassed if he wasn’t too busy feeling the most intense pleasure he’s ever felt, to the point that he’s since stopped trying to cover up all of his sounds, letting them leave him with no restraint. 

judai is mesmerized not only by how pretty his lover looks, but how pretty he  _ sounds,  _ taking on the initiative to pull as many of these gorgeous noises out of manjoume as he can. he groans, fingers pressing into the other teen’s hip, thrusting harder and deeper inside of him, causing manjoume to cry out and drag his blunt nails up judai’s shoulder. 

“oh, j-judai —” he moans, thighs starting to tremble from the boundless pleasure, “i’m so close, so close.”

“me too,” judai admits, voice strained from his efforts down south, “hold out for me, baby, i’m almost there.”

manjoume nods, hand clutching at the back of judai’s head, pulling him down for another heated kiss. they both moan into each other’s mouths, judai thrusting as hard as he possibly can, earning a variety of high-pitched cries from manjoume beneath him, nearer to a scream the more judai’s cock bumps against his prostate. he can’t tell if it’s his or judai’s drool that sweeps down his cheek, but he doesn’t care, he only holds onto his lover as the knot in his stomach becomes unbearably tight, the fire coursing through his veins burning him up. 

“you close, babe?” judai asks, breathless and pounding into him relentlessly, his sunset eyes holding manjoume’s own, barely-open hues of nightfall captive. 

the dark-haired teen can’t even speak, so he nods frantically as judai just keeps  _ thrusting and thrusting,  _ his insides melting around him. he feels judai’s lips against his neck and he moans in acknowledgement, tilting his head back to offer greater access to his pulse. 

just as judai’s teeth sink into the soft skin there, the knot unravels, and manjoume shouts his lover’s name as he achieves his orgasm, his body tensing while he spills white hot all over his stomach. 

judai follows close behind, nearly going cross-eyed as manjoume’s heat clenches tight around him, draining him of every last drop which paints the inside of his lover white. 

the only sounds in the room come in their heavy breaths, euphoria wrapping around them as the moment they’d shared so beautifully together bathes them in a warm afterglow. 

reaching down, judai very carefully pulls himself out of manjoume, causing the other to whimper at the sensation of emptiness. after shushing him with a kiss, judai climbs off the bed on wobbly legs, padding into the bathroom to clean himself up as quickly as possible. he wets a washcloth and drains it of the excess water, before returning to the bed to clean up his lover, whose body has gone entirely limp from their activities. 

tossing the cloth into the sink (something manjoume will probably yell at him for in the morning), he climbs back into bed and leans over his lover, who opens his eyes to look back at him. 

“how you feeling?” judai asks, brushing some of manjoume’s hair away from his eyes, more out of affection that efficiency. 

the boy hums, rolling over so that he’s facing judai, and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. “really good. that was amazing.”

“good,” the brunette beams, arms cradling his lover in return, “the perfect way to end the perfect vacation.”

manjoume yawns, mumbling something about judai being a nerd before leaning up to peck his lips. “go to sleep, slacker. we’re still getting up early tomorrow.”

* * *

_ i’d throw a rope around the moon, _ _  
_ _ and pull it close  _ _  
_ _ whatever it takes to be with you _ __  
_ maybe tonight …  _ _  
_ __ maybe tonight, the stars align

♡

“thanks for looking after pharaoh, asuka!” says judai, accepting the rotund feline from the young woman while manjoume gathers all of the cat’s belongings, “he didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”

“not at all! he was surprisingly well-behaved,” she laughs, “though i’m not as thrilled about everything i own now being covered in cat hair.”

judai laughs boisterously at that, shrugging his shoulders, “yeah, sorry about that. but, y’know, what’re you gonna do.” the brunette turns to manjoume, bouncing the cat in his arms much like a mother would her very own baby, “i’m gonna go get him strapped in and everything. i’ll wait for you in the car, okay?”

“sure,” the boy nods, briefly watching as judai exits the house and makes his way toward the car.

“so,” asuka starts, arms crossing over her chest rather knowingly, “how long did it take him to ask you out?”

manjoume’s eyebrows raise dramatically, and he blinks at the girl standing before him in what can only be described as shock. “you knew?”

“of course i knew,” she smirks, shaking her head at him, “everyone in the school knew judai had a crush on you by third year. i figured once i heard he wanted to take you on vacation that he’d ask the big question sooner or later.” 

the dark-haired teen snorts, turning back to watch judai struggle to get pharaoh to sit properly in his carseat. “ah, really? i had no idea … he asked me to be his boyfriend on the last day …” subconsciously, manjoume’s fingers twist the pearl around his neck, the memory playing back in his mind, “i was totally shocked. all this time i thought he only ever wanted me to be his friend.” 

“yeah,” asuka murmurs, noticing the gem hanging around the boy’s neck. “judai is a pretty affectionate person, for sure, so i can’t blame you entirely for not picking up on it. but he was always, like, 110% with you, manjoume. at the very  _ least,”  _ she snickers. “did he give you that necklace?”

“shockingly, yes,” manjoume answers, blushing, “he found it in an antique shop near the beach. he said some cheesy, romantic stuff about it i’ll probably die if i try to repeat.”

“aww,” the blonde teases, earning her a groan from her friend. “i’m glad you two had a good trip. next time you want me to babysit pharaoh so you can have some alone time, though, i’m gonna charge you.”

the other teen laughs, raising an eyebrow. “i’ll keep that in mind.”

♡

a week later, the two of them sit on manjoume’s roof once more, admiring the starry summer night, fingers intertwined. 

“jun?” the brunette murmurs, looking toward his lover, who in turn rolls his head over to look at him, “i never really got to say thank you … for making this summer really special. it’s one i’ll never forget, for sure.”

manjoume blinks at him, before smiling softly, nodding his head. “i should be thanking you, for the same thing. we should go again next year.” 

“really?” judai asks, suddenly much closer than he was before, “you’d want to do that?”

“of course, sla  —” the dark-haired teen’s words are cleaved by judai’s sudden kiss, which he responds to naturally, arms wrapping around his boyfriend’s shoulders as their lips brush tenderly. 

when judai pulls away, he’s beaming, and manjoume can’t help but smile back at him. 

“you know, i’m like, crazy in love with you.” judai says simply, which makes manjoume’s face turn red before he starts to laugh. 

“i definitely knew you were crazy,” he replies, a warm smile remaining on his face as he holds the other close, “but i love you, too, slacker.”

**Author's Note:**

> aaaah i love these dorks so much :(
> 
> hope you enjoyed that! comments/kudos are always appreciated. ♡ 
> 
> [find me on twitter. ♡](https://twitter.com/rishoetto)


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